america, and a brand new store you, the viewers, helped build. >> are we the first customers? and, who is this? do you believe she's the queen of england? >> kate, my darling, are you there? >> the prank call rocking the royal family as other powerful people around the globe are getting punked. good evening. we begin with another big bulletin about the record-breaking heat and the melting at the north pole. a new study shows a global thaw under way, affecting everyone on the planet. and it comes today as we learn how little snow there is here in the united states. as the temperatures here keep rising and the records keep falling. abc's meteorologist ginger zee now tells us what's going on. >> reporter: nearly snowless in december.

right now, only 7% of the united states is covered in snow. that's even less than this time last year, when 32% of the nation was laced in winter white. not enough snow means no skiing. yet. this resort in washington state has had to wait. >> impatiently. to get our show on the road here. >> reporter: less snow helped make it even warmer this past week. almost 700 record high temperatures have been set in the past five days. all of that will contribute to 2012 likely becoming the warmest on record in the lower 48. while one week or one season can not tell a climate story, a longer range report card was released by noaa today. the subject? the arctic, where records were broken this year. in 2012, there was less snow -- and more sea ice melting -- than they've ever measured before. satellites started measuring arctic ice in 1979. since then, half has disappeared. and just this year, 4.5 million square miles melted away, an

area the size of the u.s. and mexico, combined. >> melting on the green land ice sheet is a big concern, because that moving water that's curr t currently thawed in the ice, moving it into the ocean, if that continues, that's going to have an impact on people that live in coastal regions. >> reporter: sea levels rising in vulnerable coastal communities means even more after a storm like sandy. and we learned today that the white house is requesting $50 billion to cover the damage from that epic storm but the states involved, diane, say that just isn't going to be enough. >> these bulletins just keep coming. >> reporter: right. and they keep finding these reports and records. and they will. we started records in 1979 in sea ice melt. they will keep changing. and the man i talked to, he anticipates more. >> even more. okay, thank you so much, ginger. now, we turn to the news tonight that a lot of ordinary americans have been put on notice, as we approach that fiscal cliff, just 27 days away. people who are already having trouble finding a job are

receiving a letter of warning about something to happen to them if congress can't make a deal. and abc's jonathan karl has that. >> reporter: melinda vega has been put on notice. if congress and the president don't get their act together, her unemployment checks will stop immediately at the end of the year. >> we're dependent on that money to pay our bills. >> reporter: she's been without a job for a year. her $450 a week unemployment check, her lifeline. >> we won't be able to pay some of our bills, and, i mean, you know, as for christmas and things of that nature, probably off the table. >> reporter: she's not alone. without a deal, unemployment compensation will end for more than 2 million people who've been out of work for more than 26 weeks. many of the unemployed started receiving the news this week from pre-recorded phone calls, like this one in washington state. >> emergency unemployment compensation shuts off at the end of december unless congress votes to extend the program. >> reporter: and, of course, going off the so-called fiscal cliff means a tax hike for just

about everybody who does have a job. but today, treasury secretary timothy geithner said the president is absolutely willing to go off the cliff unless republicans agree to raise tax rates. >> there's no prospect for an agreement that doesn't involve those rates going up on the top 2% of the wealthiest americans. remember, it's only 2%. >> reporter: and on that, no progress. >> where are the specifics? where are the discussions? nothing is going on. >> reporter: there have been no real talks between the white house and republicans for a week. but late today, diane, one possible sign of progress. the president and the speaker of the house spoke via telephone. neither side would give any details about what was said, but the stock market closed higher today with traders, at least, apparently optimistic that a deal will be reached. >> one phone call can do that. okay, thank you, jonathan karl. and now, we head overseas to cairo. another day of bloodshed and chaos there. battles erupting in the streets. look there, outside the presidential palace. between those two support between those who support

egyptian president morsi and those who want him to go. both sides using fire bombs, rocks, even sticks as weapons. and more than 120 people were wounded. and now, we move onto the other big headline. the millions of americans battling breast cancer getting this news. a new study saying a popular drug used to keep the disease from coming back, tamoxifen, should be taken twice as long for even better results. and the news has a lot of doctors saying they're going to change how they treat some of their patients. and abc's chief medical editor dr. richard besser here to tell us about it. tamoxifen, we know about it, but a change in the way you use it. >> reporter: that's right. this is really big news for hundreds of thousands of women who have breast cancer that is hormone receptor positive. the study out today looked at a drugtamoxifen, which is a hormone blocker. they gave some women this drug for five years and some women this drug for ten years and then followed them for a ten-year period. look at the results. women on the drug for five years, 25% of them had a

recurrence. if you were on it for ten years, it dropped down to 21%. very similar numbers, reduction, if you look at breast cancer deaths. 15%, for those on for five years. down to 12% for those who were on it for ten years. >> but again, to the layperson, we say, oh, we want bigger, better numbers, that doesn't seem like a huge change. >> reporter: the numbers don't look big, but across the population, that's thousands of lives. and what it says to cancer researchers is, we may be onto something. this type of drug may be what we're looking for. >> and side effects from this drug? >> reporter: you have to look at that. the serious side effects are rare. blood clots and uterine cancer. the common side effects, this drug can bring on symptoms that are very much line menopause. it can cause hot flashes, sweating, fatigue. some women will stop taking the drug, but i think today's study may get them to reconsider. and what it says is, hormone therapy may work if you give it longer. >> give it longer time. and as you said, clinging to anything that says we're onto something. >> reporter: that's right. >> thank you so much, rich. and now, we turn to our

consumer watchdog. the government sounding the alarm tonight about something that affects millions of older americans. you may have seen commercials calling for a reverse mortgage. but tonight, abc news has learned there's growing concern and the government may be ready to take action. here's abc's senior national correspondent jim avila. >> it was just grand. this was our dream. >> reporter: the family home, dream and nest egg for wisconsin's linda and jim mcmahon. until it had to be sold out from under linda to pay back a reverse mortgage as soon as her husband died. >> i get a letter, sorry to hear about your husband passing away. buy the house or move out. >> reporter: reverse mortgages give homeowners an immediate cash payment in exchange for future equity. allowing them to stay in the house until death. but only people 62 and older qualify. linda was too young to be on the mortgage, so, when her older husband died, she lost everything. it's only one danger inherent in the reverse mortgage. >> hi, i'm fred thompson.

>> hi, i'm henry winkler. >> reporter: critics say the tv commercials prey on vulnerable seniors. and today, the government is warning that reverse mortgages are not free money. >> turn their equity into tax free cash. >> give you tax free cash. >> they are not being told about the down side. >> reporter: right now in america, 57,000 seniors in reverse mortgages are in danger of losing their home. a nearly 10% foreclosure rate, four times higher than traditional mortgages. tomorrow, the department of housing and urban development will recommend congress prohibit large lump sum payments. and recommend seniors be very careful with reverse mortgages. is a reverse mortgage the last option? >> i really think it should be. absolutely. >> reporter: an option -- >> it's a wonderful house. >> reporter: -- linda mcmahon regrets taking. >> i hope somebody will enjoy it. >> reporter: jim avila, abc news, washington. and now, our made in america team is back in action, because 40% of retail sales take place

between thanksgiving and christmas. and the more items we buy made in america, the more american jobs we can create together. and there's proof tonight. one of your ideas led abc's david muir to the iconic mall of america, where it turns out, you, our viewers, can see what you've done. david? >> reporter: diane, you and i have loved this. the ideas pouring in from the viewers. familying out looking for their one thing. economists say, if we spend $64 on anything made in america, we can create 200,000 jobs. tonight, as diane mentioned, proof of that power, as we track one of your ideas that we first reported on a year ago. have viewers made a difference? we traveled to the iconic mall of america. minneapolis, minnesota. inside, santa taking those requests. david muir with "world news." how are you? >> oh, good. how are you? >> reporter: so, i'm just curious. those kids sitting on santa's lap, how much of what they're asking for is made in america? >> oh. oh, i guess -- i guess -- i guess -- >> reporter: even the elf stumped, telling us he can't answer those kinds of questions. those famous rides in the mall.

and mom kim, bringing her daughter all the way from baltimore. came all the way to the mall of america -- >> to shop. >> reporter: how much do you think was made in america? >> in here? >> reporter: but if you look closely enough, we guarantee you'll find made in america. so many "world news" viewers e-mailing diane a year ago about one simple item. a tervis tumbler. it keeps your hot drink hot, your cold drink cold. that sign a year ago after our first report, made in america. it turns out so many viewers placed orders, the company says it helped them build a new store, opening this week here in the biggest mall in america. are we the first customers? in fact, they opened nine stores since last christmas, nearly 100 new employees. you were not in the mall of america a year ago. >> no. >> reporter: and back at the factory in florida -- >> thank you, "world news"! >> reporter: which brings us to another factory where "world news" viewers are already bringing christmas cheer. the faribault factory.

closing down but after we reported they were trying to open up again -- you have 80 additional people since our last report? >> yeah. >> reporter: and this week, a tour of their newest shop. i love it. you can see it right here. >> made in america, all over. >> reporter: we wanted to know about donny, who had been called back to the assembly line. tonight, they tell us he's gone from part time to full time. >> here i am. i'm back again. >> reporter: and from his coworkers -- >> thank you, "world news"! >> reporter: and in a tiny neighborhood outside st. louis, missouri, tonight, they hope they're next. at the corner of 8th and betten, the sign. welcome, made in america. >> come on in. >> reporter: thank you. this inventor taking us into the factory, where they are making protective cases for your iphone. they hold your credit cards, too. her own made in america ads on youtube. water resistant. they can take a beating. but when we asked her, why make it in america? >> to -- it's so weird. why am i crying? >> reporter: she same simply, her father was a veteran. it's that important to you. >> yes. >> reporter: you can do better? you're convinced of it.

pitching her product to me, too. as you can see, her pitch worked. bought another american made product. her company is called bodacious cases. you can look it up. you can also find a link on our list of made in america ideas at abcnews.com. she would spend hours in the middle of the night skyping to china, but was determined to make it here. so was tervis. and the new store at the mall of america. and the faribault mill. merry christmas. i didn't wrap it. >> christmas comes early. thank you, david. and thanks to all of you, our viewers in this together. it's great. thank you. and still ahead on "world news," the story of the millionaire mogul on the run. but tracked down tonight by our reporter.

those little things still get you. for you, life's about her. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications,

and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. do you often experience the feeling of a dry mouth? it can be the side effect of many medications. dry mouth can be frustrating... and ignoring it can lead to... sipping water can help, but dentists recommend biotene. biotene moisturizes and helps supplement some of saliva's enzymes, providing soothing relief when you need it most. don't ignore dry mouth...

look for biotene in your oral care section today. this has been medifacts for biotene. ♪ [ male announcer ] campbell's green bean casserole. it's amazing what soup can do and now, abc news tonight is speaking to a man whose name has surfaced in a murder inquiry as and he has created a worldwide frenzy. his behavior described by "the new york times" as sometimes just bizarre. you may have heard the name mcafee. he's the mogul who created the ant anti-virus software. but tonight, he sits down in guatemala with abc's matt gutman, who brings you the strange encounter. >> reporter: after weeks on the lam, software security pioneer john mcafee has surfaced in guatemala. where we caught up with him. how have you been?

>> pretty good since i got here. >> reporter: i bet. mcafee is an internet legend. his name still pops up when many open their computers. at one point, he was worth $100 million. but in 2009, mcafee took his money and moved to tropical belize, living an excentric life style on this oceanfront compound. three weeks ago, his next door neighbor turned up dead. who do you think killed greg faull? >> how would i know? how would i know? >> reporter: police want him for questioning. but the 67-year-old went on the run. for weeks, he and his 20-year-old girlfriend lived in closets, even burying himself in the sand. and he wore disguises. >> i had a cane. i was walking like this and i had my jaws stuffed with toilet paper. >> reporter: but his behavior in hiding quickly brought ratings worldwide attention to him and his sanity. all the while, he kept contact with some reporters. >> if you were a madman, how could i -- >> reporter: mcafee told abc news the police want him dead. but the police say he's not even a suspect. >> right here.

>> reporter: but now he's in guatemala, hoping for asylum. he says he still has money and won't rule out going back to the u.s. matt gutman, abc news, guatemala city. and coming up next here, would you believe, a dog taught to drive? and it's a stick shift. we'll tell you how and why. new prilosec otc wildberry is the same frequent heartburn treatment as prilosec otc. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill?

because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. military families face, we understand. at usaa, we know military life is different. we've been there. that's why every bit of financial advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] ♪ [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. perfect golden color. rich in fiber. my dad taught me, and i taught my son out there. morning, pa.

wait... who's driving the...? ♪ 99 bushels of wheat on the farm, 99 bushels of wheat ♪ [ male announcer ] yep, there's 8 layers of whole grain fiber in those mini-wheats® biscuits... to help keep you full... ♪ 45 bushels of wheat ...all morning long. there's a big breakfast... [ mini ] yee haw! ...in those fun little biscuits. there's a big breakfast... of washington about the future of medicare and social security. anncr: but you deserve straight talk about the options on the... table and what they mean for you and your family. ancr: aarp is cutting through all the political spin. because for our 37 million members, only one word counts. get the facts at earnedasay.org. let's keep medicare... and social security strong for generations to come. and now, time to take a look at what made it to the top of our "instant index" tonight. starting with a video, showing

something that dogs can be trained to do, we didn't know they could. that is a dog behind the wheel of a car. a new zealand animal rescue organization taught three rescue dogs to steer a car, use a rigged brake and even shift gears. it's just a practice car and they use doggy treats to reward them for each new move they mastered. to highlight the unexpected possibility in rescue dogs and promote their adoption. and here's a picture in the news. a silent night from space. look. nasa released brand new images, the continents lit up, asia and australia, africa and europe, south america and north america. the united states, a beacon of light, right there across the galaxy. and our person tonight is dave brubeck, the man who put the urgent pulse into american jazz. he died at the age of 91, after a life of breaking through

racial barriers and musical ones. before brubeck, this was the simple rhythm of most jazz songs. listen. ♪ but after brubeck, the famous five-four rhythm that rocked the world. here it is. ♪ dave brubeck. and we know there are people and videos that capture your imagination every day, so, tweet me your thoughts for the "instant index," @dianesawyer. and, coming up right now, we have a test for you. is this the queen of england? >> my dear, thank you so much. >> or, is this the queen of england? >> thank you for inviting me. >> do you know which one is the imposter? stay tuned. made a commitment to the gulf. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs.

today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger. a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. the usual, bob? not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib: atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, a condition that puts him at greater risk for a stroke. [ gps ] turn left. i don't think so. [ male announcer ] for years, bob took warfarin, and made a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but not anymore. bob's doctor recommended a different option: once-a-day xarelto®. xarelto® is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem, that doesn't require routine blood monitoring.

like warfarin, xarelto® is proven effective to reduce the risk of an afib-related stroke. there is limited data on how these drugs compare when warfarin is well managed. no routine blood monitoring means bob can spend his extra time however he likes. new zealand! xarelto® is just one pill a day, taken with the evening meal. and with no dietary restrictions, bob can eat the healthy foods he likes. do not stop taking xarelto® rivaroxaban without talking to the doctor who prescribes it for you. stopping may increase your risk of having a stroke. get medical help right away if you develop any signs or symptoms of bleeding, like unusual bruising or tingling. you may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take xarelto® with aspirin products, nsaids or blood thinners. talk to your doctor before taking xarelto® if you currently have abnormal bleeding. xarelto® can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. you are likely to bruise more easily on xarelto®, and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. tell your doctors you are taking xarelto®

before any planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto®, tell your doctor about any conditions, such as kidney, liver or bleeding problems. ready to change your routine? ask your doctor about once-a-day xarelto®. for more information including cost support options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. for a medicare plan? you only have 2 days left. open enrollment ends friday, december 7th. so give unitedhealthcare a call today. consider a medicare advantage plan. it can combine doctor and hospital coverage with prescription drug coverage for as low as a zero dollar monthly premium. you only have until december 7th to enroll. call unitedhealthcare today.

and finally tonight, the ultimate practical joke is sweeping the globe in this modern age. people pretend to be a celebrity and get to talk to a real celebrity. it reached a new threshold today with a caller getting information about prince william and kate, by pretending to be the queen. here's abc's david wright. >> hello? good morning, king edward vii hospital. >> hello there, can i speak to kate, please? my granddaughter? >> oh, yes, just hold on, ma'am. >> reporter: a royal crank call to the bedside of a princess. >> kate, my darling, are you there? >> good morning, ma'am, this is the nurse speaking. how may i help you? >> hello, i'm just after my granddaughter, kate. i want to see how her little tummy bug is going. >> reporter: an australian dj impersonating her royal highness.

>> when is a good time to come visit her? because i'm the queen, so, i need a lift down there. >> i would suggest that any time after 9:00 would be suitable. >> reporter: that well-intentioned nurse is in good company. in the past, other dj's have managed to prank call the queen herself, and even pope john paul. a miami dj once got through to fidel castro. >> fidel? >> si! >> reporter: during the 2008 campaign, sarah palin got caught out by a canadian prankster impersonating the french president. >> one of my favorite activities is to hunt, too. >> oh, very good. we should go hunting together! >> reporter: in that case, as in this one, it begs the question -- was she just being polite? or was the caller really convincing? could you tell the difference? >> my dear, thank you so much. >> thank you for inviting me. >> reporter: the queen rarely uses the first person singular. one tends not to, does one not? >> i think it's difficult sleeping in a strange bed, as well. >> yes of course. it's hardly the palace, is it. >> oh, nothing like the palace is it, charles.

>> reporter: nope. nothing like the palace at all. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> and thanks so much for watching. we're always here at abcnews.com. "nightline" later. and we want to say good night with a country christmas tonight, and the sounds of brooks & dunn. as we thank our affiliate, nashville's news 2. in muz ii iic music city, the f gaylord opryland hotel, glowing. nearly 2 million twinkling lights underneath a dazzling fireworks display. it took four months to put up all those lights, a wonderland was worth it. good night. ♪ you can do the job while you're in town ♪ ♪ later on we'll conspire

trees down everywhere. all of the aftermath of the rain. we have live coverage and live doppler 7 hd. >> police show ofhç!t a catch of stolen goods from a fencing ring. >> efforts to drive food trucks out of a neighborhood. one man who is really cashing in. he didn't sell a meal. >> we're glad we're here to talk to you about it. it was a big tree. >> a rude awakening. a tree comes crashing into the bedroom in the middle of the night just feet from where

they're sleeping. good evening, everyone, i'm carolyn johnson. >> the tree just one of many that fell around the bay area because of saturated ground. there is a a tree that punched a hole through the overhang, damage. crews in lay fayette using these rocks to try to stabilize the stream. part of the road washed way during rains over the weekend. crews bringing a larger pipe to help prevent more erosion there. >> skies have cleared as you can see from the live picture from our camera. but the lingering affects of the rain we've received could be felt for some time. >> we have live coverage for you tonight. crews from marin we begin with spencer chris skmin a look at the impress8//#.h)ain total autos we'll start with live doppler 7